Savvie Sunshine, Will You Remember Daddy When I Am Out to Sea? is a simple, poignant story of a father’s impending separation from his baby daughter due to a military deployment. While several books address how children can cope with a father’s extended absence during deployment, this is the only book I know of that helps both departing fathers and their young children maintain their close relationship with one another despite the separation. Ideally read to the child by the father before deployment (and by other family members during his absence), Savvie Sunshine, Will You Remember Daddy When I Am Out to Sea? can help all family members face the separation with courage, hope, and love. Young children will enjoy the rhyming and repetition of the story and the simple, colorful illustrations of Savvie and her family. Parents will appreciate the frank discussion of feelings associated with separation (e.g., “Daddy, you’ll be away a while and will miss some special times. I know this makes you worried and it may give you sad eyes”) and the concrete suggestions for staying in touch (e.g., “And one of the things I will love the most is talking through satellite while we are on post!”). Savvie Sunshine, Will You Remember Daddy When I Am Out to Sea? is a treasure for the whole family.

Marianne Celano, Ph.D., ABPP
Board Certified in Couple and Family Psychology
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Emory University School of Medicine

This is a lovely book, which is sure to be a comfort to children, mothers and fathers experiencing military deployment. I bought it for a friend with two young children who is in the military, and her husband is a well. There are great tips for staying in touch, and the author shares her own story at the end. Highly recommended.

Jen
Reviewed in the United Sates on May 14, 2016